By: Peter Morris, MPTH
Have you ever witnessed a miracle? How would you describe a miracle? According to Webster, a miracle is an event or outcome in the physical universe that differs from, or exceeds our comprehension of the accepted laws of nature. It is an extraordinary anomaly or abnormal occurrence caused by superhuman power. According to Oxford, it is a wonderful occurrence within human experience that cannot have been caused by human agency or by the action of any natural agent and must instead be attributed to a supernatural being or the Deity’s special intervention. However, God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and infinite, hence He does not require miracles. He can create anything; there is nothing He cannot do (Psalm 33:9).
The gospels list thirty-six (36) miracles that Jesus performed while He was on earth. In John 21:25 we are told, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, that even the earth itself could not contain the books that should be written, if they were all to be written down.” Moreover, the miracle of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit, I must say, must be the greatest of all miracles.
Jesus’ miracles were always performed to illuminate spiritual truths and bear witness to His divine mission. He never used His divine authority to appease arcane curiosity or to prove He had power. His miracles were always performed as a means of elucidating spiritual truths and bearing witness to His divine mission.
After being baptized, which marked the beginning of His mission, and roughly a week after selecting His five disciples: John, Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, and Nathanael (John 1:40-45), Jesus performed His very first miracle at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. An invitation had been extended to Jesus and His disciples, and His Mother was also there as the bridegroom was a relative. When the wine suddenly ran out at the wedding celebration, which would have been embarrassing for the host, Jesus’ mother requested her son’s assistance to avoid an embarrassing situation. In response, Jesus questioned, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My time hasn’t come yet” (John 2: 4).
In old Oriental custom, the term “Woman” meant the same thing that “mummy,” “mama,” or “mother” does today. Jesus always treated his earthly parents with the utmost respect and honour. In telling His mother that His hour is not yet come, Jesus was prophesying. He was aware of His purpose in sacrificing His life and shedding His blood to bring about salvation. However, His mother and His followers failed to grasp the significance of His remark. When His mission was almost completed on the night of His betrayal, He declared, “My time is at hand” (Matthew 26:18).
Jesus performed this first miracle in order to:-
- Save His mother’s relative from shame during the wedding;
- Satisfy His mother’s request;
- Strengthen His disciples’ belief in Him as the Messiah.
- Support and uphold marriage as a sacred institution.
- Show His warmth and hospitality to those in attendance.
Scriptural reference quoted from the King James version of the Holy Bible
